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[Nabubrush]

If it makes you feel any better, he probably got the Seahawks paid less than the Trojans in a usual season.

My problem with him is that he made me feel sympathy for USC, which sucks by itself, by indulging in all his shenanigans and then running off to leave them holding the bag. A lot of people took it in the shorts so he could bail for Seattle. I hope nothing but bad things for him.

[miles]

Heh.

You are a good person and I like you, but this is crazy talk right here.

Yeah, you right.

[littlefallsmets]

The fun thing about Red Sox fans is how their team spends enough money as the second richest team in the game, putting third place way off in the distance, but they somehow manage to have an insane inferiority complex anyway. That's gotta take some fuckin' mental gymnastics.

That's what's great about cheering for the Mets.

"Yeah, we're supposed to be rich but our team is owned by assholes so... lets not take this TOO seriously. Lets have some laughs with this."

[pmcd9]

At this point I just want to win to shut Saints fans up (my friends in particular) until September. They're worse than Red Sox fans.

The Saints fans I've met are just exuberantly for their team.  They aren't assholes about it.  Hey, they had an awesome team last year, let them have their fun.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Congrats to Nabu, who went from the disappointment of narrowly losing the semi-final to the champeenship in something like 72 hours.  Jaydub takes second, Lister third.  Condolences to Asherdan, who on the flip side of Nabu's run, went from a spot in the championship game to no trophy at all in relatively short order.

[Nabubrush]

That's what's great about cheering for the Mets.

"Yeah, we're supposed to be rich but our team is owned by assholes so... lets not take this TOO seriously. Lets have some laughs with this."

Me too - the Chargers have (and have had) such a fantastic team on paper, but are sort of epically mismanaged where it counts. We probably should have three rings or so by now. Have to laugh to keep from crying.

I had lots of time for the Sox fans (my brother is one) when they broke the "curse" but now I just want them to shut the fuck up.

Related: both my bosses are Lions fans from way back. It's like they won the Super Bowl this year for them.

[Nabubrush]

Also, thanks to all for another fun season! And thanks to Arian Foster for being my tragically-named sleeper.

[Nabubrush]

I got a letter from the commissioner of the NFL today!

With one of the most exciting regular seasons now completed and the playoffs about to begin, let me first thank you and all NFL fans for your incredible support. Many fans have been asking me where we stand on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union. Let me update you and be clear at the outset:

I know we can and will reach an agreement.

My goal as Commissioner now is to help our teams and players find a solution that is fair to everyone and ensures that football becomes more popular, accessible, and fun. We want the next decade to be the best yet for our fans, and I’m ready to work day and night to make that happen.

We've come a long way. Compare where we are today with 10 years ago. From player accountability to player safety, more and better television coverage, upgrading the in-stadium experience, innovations like the RedZone channel, the Draft in prime time and playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, we are focused on doing what’s best for the players, teams, and fans. My priority is and always will be the game and the fans who love our game.

The NFL is great because fans care deeply about it. Economic conditions, however, have changed dramatically inside and outside the NFL since 2006 when we negotiated the last CBA. A 10 percent unemployment rate hurts us all. Fans have limited budgets and rightly want the most for their money. I get it.

Yes, NFL players deserve to be paid well. Unfortunately, economic realities are forcing everyone to make tough choices and the NFL is no different.

These are not easy negotiations, but the outcome can be positive. If both sides give a little, everyone, including fans, will get a lot and the game will improve through innovation.

Even in difficult economic times, a new CBA presents us with the opportunity to secure the future of our game. You may ask how will the NFL look under this vision?

A significant change would be to resolve fan complaints about preseason by modifying our 20-game format. Fans tell us they don’t like the quality of the preseason games, and we’re listening. An enhanced season of 18 regular season and two preseason games would not add a single game for the players collectively, but would give fans more meaningful, high-quality football.

Our emphasis on player health and safety is absolutely essential to the future of our game. We are strictly enforcing rules that protect players from unnecessarily dangerous play, especially involving hits to the head. We are changing the “play through it” culture to a “player-first” culture to ensure that if a player has a head injury, he doesn’t play again until his health is certain. We are also addressing the potential wear-and-tear on players in the way they train in-season and off-season.

It’s not just the health of players that concerns us. We must ensure the health of the league. That includes a new system that properly compensates proven veterans and retired players by shifting some of the outrageous sums paid to many unproven rookies. Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated published a list of the 50 highest-paid American athletes that included five 2009 NFL rookies. Every other athlete on the list was a proven veteran. In 2009, NFL clubs contracted $1.2 billion to 256 drafted rookies with $585 million guaranteed before they had stepped on an NFL field.

Don’t get me wrong: top draft choices will continue to be highly paid. All we’re asking for is a return to common sense in paying our rookies. Other leagues have done this and we can too.

These improvements and more will lead to better football, plain and simple. A forward looking CBA that is fair to players and clubs will lead to a great future for the NFL and our fans.

My job is to represent the game — the fans, teams, players, coaches and business partners. Protecting the integrity of the game and ensuring it thrives is a responsibility I take very seriously.

This is about more than a labor agreement. It’s about the future of the NFL. We have to improve and will be relentless in our quest. The commitment to our fans is to make the NFL experience even better in the years ahead. With a responsible CBA, we will fulfill that vision.

Happy New Year and enjoy the playoffs.

– Roger Goodell

So, wait - 18 games of real football is the same for star players as 16 games and two pre-season? Um, no. That innovation will shorten careers significantly. I will buy the whole "not paying rookies an arm and a leg" thing, but those are going to have to be short contracts. And what about a 7-9 team making the playoffs? I don't see that mentioned as something to look at.

[CortJstr]

"ensures that football becomes more popular, accessible, and fun."

Eliminate the TV time-out and we'll talk. Until then kindly fuck off.

Or switch to the MLS system where center field front row tickets cost $30 with no service fees. Either way.

[Nabubrush]

Bolts give their special teams coach the hook.

[Nabubrush]

So, Jim Tomsula is the (interim?) coach of the 49ers. He got the win the other day. Last week he had this to say:

I'm a football coach. I'm Jim Nobody from Nowhere. I keep my spoon in my soup. I don't eat anybody else's soup. I just do my job.

Are we sure this isn't Singletary in disguise?

[jaydub]

He head coached in NFL Europe.  Now he's the D-line coach for the Niners.  Supposedly the way this is supposed to go is the owner will hire a general manager, who will then determine who he wants as a head coach.  When that guy (the coach) comes in, he'll look at the staff in place and decide who stays and who goes.  On the one hand, this was a nice feather in the cap for Jim Nobody.  On the other hand, the incoming administration might decide he's too big for his britches and give him the heave-ho (which, given the stoutness of the Niners against the run would be a mistake IMO).  I'm sure Tomsula has already done that calculus and his statements are to indicate he's perfectly happy with his current (D-Line) role and won't make waves for whoever's next.

[Nabubrush]

But . . . but . . . he doesn't eat anybody else's soup!

[Carlos del Vaca]

Are we sure this isn't Singletary in disguise?

I'm not a doctor!

[Choop]

out of curiosity, i checked and found that i only kept three players from the first game through the last, and one i'd dropped for a game and picked back up after a supreme letdown by the jagoff i grabbed to replace him for the week he was injured:

matt cassell*
adrian wilson
ahmad bradshaw

*that guy i dropped

i made a LOT of changes and almost all were for the better. maybe next year i'll be a contender - but i won't hold my breath.